Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-10-21
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.
THE TESTS TO WHICH THE SPAN.
IARDs SUBJECTED A SPY.

at Madrid, desired to send a dis
patch of the gravest Importance to
General Junot at Lisbon. The dis
lance was not great, but the coun-
try through which the messenger
would be obliged to travel was in
tested by a band of guerrlllas who
carried on an irregular warfare on
their own account, much to the an
noyance and detriment OF the French
army. These lawless volunteers
fought from their ambuscades in
the forests and mountain passes
with unparalleled ferOcity, frequent
ly surprising attachments of the
regular army and capturing their
stores and ammunition. The he
rOic deeds of General Castanos, the
guerrilla cOmmander.in.chief, were
echoed throughout Europe, and it
was we'll known that he gave no
quarter to French prisoners. There
tore General Murat could find no
soldier DESTROYS of undertaking an
GRAND so fraught with danger.
In his dilemma he sought the add
vice of Baron StroganOff, the Rus
sian ambassador, who was friendly
to the French cause.
The baron, being well aware of
the gravity of the situation, delib-
Grated for several minutes the re-
suit was the following suggestion /:
"Send one OF your most reliable
Polish lancers in Russian uniform
he said, with a verbal message to
our admiral, now in Lisbon harbOr.
He, IN turn, will communicate with
Juno. without arousing the slight
est suspicion on the part of the
English. No doubt your courier
will be arrested a score of times
en- route but as my country has
maintained neutral ground thus far
it is not probable that the result
will be fatal. CastanOs Is too much
of a diplomat to risk the displeas-
ure of Russia, and, by observing
the proper caution, it will not be
difficult to deceive him."
General Murat was chan med with
this clever proposition, aud at once
ordered the Captain of the Warsaw
Lancers to select from his company
brave, reliable fellow who could
be trusted to undertake the import
ant mission.
Early on the following day, Lieu
tenant Lackinsky, a young Pole,
eighteen years of age, sought au-
dience of the French general, who
explained the nature of the service
be required of the youth, without
concealing the perils it would en-
tail. Lackinsky, nothing daunted,
declared with a cOntemptuOus smile
that he eagerly awaited an OppOr-
tunity to prove how little he feared
the guerrilas. and that he was pre-
pared to set out at once on his jour-
ney.
Pleased with the young Poles en-
thusiasm, as we'll as with his evil
dent desire to distinguish himself,
the general repeated with precision
the message to be carried to JunOt.
Baron Stroganoff7s Russian dis.
patches having been duly secured,
the courier started for the coast,
completely armed, and disguised in
the uniform of an officer Of the
Cars guard.
Nothing OF importance occurred
until the afternoon of the second
day, when our hero entered a defile
in the mountains near Talavera.-
He had not advanced more than a
quarter of mile when he was met
by half q dozen guerrillas, who,
without waiting to parley, roughly
dragged him from his horse. seized
his weapons, and led him to
chapel in cave hard by, where he
found himself face to face with the
terrible Castanos.
"Who are You ?" asked the guer-
rilla chief, in French, while he an.
grily scrutinized the prisoner.
Alive to the danger of his posi-.
ton Lackinsky's heart failed him
for an instant, but, quickly recov-
ing bis presence of mind, he fixed
his eyes on his interlocutor's face
with a meaningless stare. Present
ly he answered in German "I do
not understand
CastanOs called one OF his officers,
and requested him to continue the
examination in theprisOners tongue.
Observing the utmost caution lest
bv an inadvertent expression lie
might betray his knowledge of
French, the Pole replied to all the
officers questions either IN Russian
or German.
During the examination the chap
ell had become crowded with guer-
rillas, attracted there by curiosity
and a desire for excitement. Each
hung upon the prisoners words,
eager to detect the slightest cyl
dence of deception on his part.
Suddenly there was an Interrupt
ton, caused BY the appearance Of
Castanos, leading by the arm
peasant whom he placed before the
Pole, saying: "LoOk carefully ut
this man, and tell us whether be be
Russian, German, or, as ! strongly
suspect, cursed French spy